Veronica plant named ‘Allartist’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Allartist’, characterized by its upright plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; dense inflorescences with numerous red purple-colored flowers; flowers are initially lighter red purple becoming darker red purple with development giving a two-tone appearance to the inflorescence; and good performance as a garden plant and as a cut flower.

Botanical designation: Veronica longifolia x Veronica spicata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALLARTIST’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronicaplant, botanically known as Veronica longifolia x Veronica spicata,typically grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Allartist’.

The new Veronica plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Cuijk, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new attractive Veronica plants withunique inflorescence form and color.

The new Veronica plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2013of a proprietary selection of Veronica longifolia x Veronica spicataidentified as code number 13-74-8, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with an unknown selection of Veronica longifolia x Veronicaspicata as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Veronica plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controllednursery environment in Cuijk, The Netherlands in August, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica plant by terminal stem cuttingsin a controlled environment in Cuijk, The Netherlands, since September,2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Veronica plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Veronica have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Allartist’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Allartist’ as a new and distinct Veronicaplant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Dense inflorescences with numerous red purple-colored        flowers; flowers are initially lighter red purple becoming        darker red purple with development giving a two-tone appearance        to the inflorescence.    -   5. Good performance as a garden plant and as a cut flower.

Plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica have fewer lateral branches than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Veronica are longer than        inflorescences of plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Veronica are darker red purple        than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Veronica can be compared to plants of Veronicalongifolia x Veronica spicata ‘Alliselle’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of‘Alliselle’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Inflorescences of plants of the new Veronica do not express        any deformities whereas inflorescences ofplants of ‘Alliselle’        are slightly deformed.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Veronica are red purple in color        whereas flowers of plants of ‘Alliselle’ are purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the Veronica plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Veronica plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 2) comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Allartist’ grown in acontainer.

The photographs on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 2) are close-up views oftypical stems and leaves of ‘Allartist’ (upper photograph) and typicalinflorescences of ‘Allartist’ (lower photograph).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown in 21-cm containers during the summer in an outdoor nurseryin Cuijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical ofcommercial Veronica production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 12° C. to 24° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 4° C. to 14° C. Plants were four months old when the photographsand the description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica longifolia x Veronica spicata    ‘Allartist’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Veronica            longifolia x Veronica spicata identified as code number            13-74-8, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Veronica            longifolia x Veronica spicata, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 to 32            days at temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 30° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; overall plant            shape, broadly oblong; moderately vigorous growth habit and            moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 37.2            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 50            cm.        -   Plant width.—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely            branching habit with about four main stems; pinching will            enhance lateral branching. Length: About 25.9 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: About 7.5° from vertical. Texture and luster:            Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, developing: Close            to 144B. Color, developed: Close to 144A to 144B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls of three, simple.        -   Length.—About 7.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate to lanceolate; flat to slightly curled            downward, very slightly carinate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Moderately to densely            pubescent; not rugose; slightly glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Moderately to densely            pubescent; not rugose; matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between NN137A and            147A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to between 147B and 191A; venation, close to            146B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm by 3 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, upper            surface: Close to 144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single campanulate flowers            arranged on dense terminal compound racemes; flowers face            mostly outwardly.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 1,600            flowers developing per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; plants            flower continuously from the summer until the autumn in The            Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Inflorescences last about 30 days on the            plant and about 10 days as a cut flower; flowers not            persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.            Color: Close to 64C; developing calyx, close to 137C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 19.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7 mm by 7 mm.        -   Flower height.—About 8.5 mm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 2 mm.        -   Tube diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four in a single whorl;            upper petal slightly larger than the lateral and lower            petals; petals fused about 40% of the petal length from the            base. Length, all petals: About 5 mm. Width, upper petal:            About 4 mm. Width, lateral and lower petals: About 3 mm.            Shape, upper petal: Obovate; moderately concave. Shape,            lateral and lower petals: Oblong; moderately concave. Apex,            all petals: Obtuse. Margin, all petals: Entire. Texture and            luster, all petals, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, throat: Smooth,            glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, tube: Densely            pubescent; matte. Color, all petals: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 64C. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 71C; color becoming closer to 71D with            development. Throat: Close to 71C. Tube: Close to 71C and            proximally, close to 155A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four arranged in a single            whorl, fused at the base. Length: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Width:            About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly            cuneate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower            surface: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 137C to 137D. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 137C. Fully opened, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to NN137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncles: About 19.5 cm.            Length, axillary peduncles: About 13.7 cm. Diameter,            terminal and axillary peduncles: About 3 mm. Aspect,            terminal peduncles: Upright. Aspect, axillary peduncles:            About 25° from terminal peduncle axis. Strength, terminal            and axillary peduncles: Strong. Texture and luster, terminal            and axillary peduncles: Densely pubescent; slightly glossy.            Color, terminal and axillary peduncles: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Aspect: About 60° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture and luster: Sparsely pubescent; slightly            glossy. Color: Close to 143B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            not observed, if present, one. Filament length: About 5 mm.            Filament color: Close to 71C. Anther shape: Short oblong;            dorsifixed. Anther size: About 1 mm by 0.5 mm. Anther color:            Close to N92A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close            to 157A.        -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            5.5 mm. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm. Stigma shape:            Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to N79A. Style length:            About 5.25 mm. Style color: Close to N80A. Ovary color:            Close to 145A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has            not been observed on plants of the new Veronica.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Veronica have    not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Veronica plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Veronica have exhibited good    garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind, high    temperatures about 35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness    Zones 4 through 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Veronica plant named ‘Allartist’ asillustrated and described.